Cotton News

Dryland field in Petersburg, Texas (Hale County).

Mid-May, PCG’s reporting focused primarily on the necessity of drought relief. By the end of May, fields in certain areas of PCG’s 42 counties were flooding and planting was delayed. On June 9,

2023, we were concerned about heat units and the need for warmer temperatures. We saw temperatures come up to the high 90s for most of June 12 through the 16th. Now, with established stands and some squaring observations, we could use another rain. 

And we may just get one, if historical data is anything to go by. According to historical rain data for Lubbock, anytime May has recorded five or more inches of rain, there has typically been good precipitation through June and the rest of the growing season. Hopefully that will be the case this crop year. 

The cotton that did emerge and was not damaged by weather conditions has looked pretty good. “We have seen more uniform stands this year than we have in the past,” added Kody Bessent, PCG CEO. 

According to PCG Director of Field Services Mark Brown, the crop north of Plainview is suffering. Large storms, hail and tornadoes have hit the region hard. “We lost 1,400 more acres of cotton right after the Perryton tornado,” said Quentin Shieldknight, producer in Hansford County. 

Brown added that east of Lubbock, the situation is better. In his spot checks, Brown said he has seen cotton all over the board in terms of growth and development — from emergence to one true leaf all the way up to match-head squares. “If a producer has match-head squares in their field today, it’s more than likely they’ll have blooms by the July 15, which is pretty typical in a normal growing season,” Brown added.   

While rain is always welcome, it does increase the insect pressure. Experts report thrip and grasshopper activity in fields, but what is most concerning are wireworms. Wireworms can be hard to find when scouting and can be hard to treat after the cotton has emerged. 

“We have product options with grasshoppers, fleahoppers and thrips, but once you plant, there’s nothing you can do to prevent wireworms,” said Suhas Vyavhare, Ph.D., extension entomologist.   

Shawn Holladay, producer in Dawson and Marting Counties said he’s seen more wireworms this year than he’s ever seen before. 

“We’ve learned a valuable lesson this year,” he added. “We won’t plant irrigated cotton that’s not seed treated again.” 

Vyavhare also said to be on the lookout for plant bugs now that plants are beginning to square.

Steve Olson, producer in Hale County, served as a panelist discussing regenerative agriculture at a cotton conference overseas.

“One thing that really stands out to me in these global experiences is how fortunate we are here in America,” Olson said. “There was a panelist from India that talked about the ability to finally purchase oxen to help him on the farm. There was also a woman discussing using her farm profits to put her children through school. It’s humbling to think about.” 

Riley Gryder and Josiah Keck were named Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association summer interns in May.

By the end of the summer, Gryder will have worked with Adobe Walls Gin, Edcot Gin, Johnson Gin, LoneStar Gin and Top of Texas Gin.

Keck is working with Petersburg Co-op Gin and will finish his internship at Smith Gin Co-op in South Texas. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup. This is one of several signups that USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is holding for the program. The results for CRP General signup reflect the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the long-term health, sustainability, and profitability of their land and resources. The signup’s results include more than 190,000 acres in Texas.

“This year’s General CRP signup demonstrates the value and continued strength of this voluntary conservation program, which plays an important role in helping mitigate climate change and conserve our natural resources,” said Kelly Adkins, FSA State Executive Director in Texas. “Today’s announcement is one of many enrollment and partnership opportunities within CRP, including opportunities through our working lands Grassland CRP, Continuous CRP, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). USDA will continue working to ensure producers and landowners have the information they need to take advantage of the options that work best for their operations.”

Offers for new land in this General CRP signup totaled about 295,000 acres nationwide. Producers submitted re-enrollment offers for 891,000 expiring acres, reflecting the successes of participating in CRP longer term. The total number of CRP acres will continue to climb in the coming weeks once FSA accepts acres from the Grassland CRP signup, which closed May 26. Additionally, so far this year, FSA has received 761,000 offered acres for the Continuous CRP signup, for which FSA accepts applications year-round.

The number of accepted acres that are enrolled in General CRP will be confirmed later this year. Participating producers and landowners should also remember that submitting and accepting a CRP offer is the first step, and producers still need to develop a conservation plan before contracts become effective on October 1, 2023. Each year, during the window between offer acceptance and land enrollment, some producers ultimately decide not to enroll some accepted acres, without penalty.

Originally written and published by Cotton Grower.

Another big week in planting progress for the 2023 U.S. cotton crop.

USDA’s Crop Progress report for the week ending June 11 shows that 71% of the U.S. crop is now planted – up another 10 percentage points in the past week, yet 5 points behind the 5-year national average for this week. Most states have now topped the 90% planted mark, with growers in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas trying to catch up despite weather issues and delays in the High Plains/Panhandle/Northern Plains areas.

In all, 12 of the 15 cotton-producing states are currently ahead or equal to their respective state 5-year averages for this date.

Squaring is now reported in 11% of the U.S. crop – up 5 percentage points in the past week but still 3 points off the 5-year average. Squares are now found in 14 of the 15 cotton-producing states.

Overall cotton condition this week shows that 49% of the U.S. crop is rated good/excellent, 36% fair, and 15% poor/very poor.

Originally published by Plains Pest Management

Jimie Reed receiving a gift from Plains Pest Management President Ronald Groves for 50 years of work with the IPM Program.

Jimie Reed, a producer in southern Swisher County, was honored this month by Plains Pest Management for his 50-year involvement with the organization, 35-plus of those years serving as an

elected officer on the steering committee. As an officer Jimie represented his fellow member producers and helped guide the program’s direction. Jimie and his father were active in the organization of Plains Pest Management, the larger, State-wide, Texas Pest Management Association, and the foundation of the Texas IPM Program in the early 1970’s. These organizations work in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Integrated Pest Management

Programs to address evolving pest issues, advance agriculture, and offer integrated pest management education through pest monitoring and independently conducted local research trials.

Ronald Groves, Plains Pest Management President and Hale County Producer recently addressed the group’s membership at the group’s spring meeting, “Not every county has an IPM Program. Just counties that need that specialized education and are willing to work with and even help fund an agent. The Hale and Swisher IPM Program has been critical in seeing us through many problems and continues to do so. We have had a strong IPM Program for many years and continue to do so with good agents and great volunteer members like Jimie Reed.”

Jimie retired from the Plains Pest Management steering committee in 2023 with his nephew, Jeremy Reed being elected by the membership to be his replacement marking three generations of family volunteerism to the Hale & Swisher IPM program. 

June World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report

Bulls, Bears and Texas Cotton

Pictured: a stand in Meadow, Texas, on May 30.

“It’s amazing how things can change in a couple of weeks,” PCG Director of Field Services Mark Brown remarked at the Plains Cotton Advisory Group meeting June 9.

Brown said Gaines County is estimated to have received the least amount of rain this year in the PCG service area, while counties in the northern Panhandle have been flooded with precipitation.

Umbarger, Texas, in Randall County, has received 16.74 inches of rain year-to-date, according to the West Texas Mesonet. Nearly 13 of those inches were received in May.

“I’ve seen really uniform stand emergence this year, but it’s been through some weather these last couple of weeks and some of it has experienced some damage,” Brown added.

Emergence in northern Gaines County near Four Way Gin.

Weed Pressure

Brown also noted that with the recent rains has come some weed pressure. Trent Murphree with BASF agreed and said pigweed is becoming aggressive and producers may need to start applying chemical to keep it at bay. “Some producers applied chemical in March and you can definitely tell — those fields are cleaner,” he added. “And where producers may not have done as much, there’s a solid carpet of pigweed. And you have fields that have Kochia and Russian Thistle as well so be on the lookout for those. Residuals are going to be key this year.”

Field with a stand near the New Mexico state line. True leaves have formed but do show signs of wet weather blight.

Insect Pressure

Suhas Vyavhare, Ph.D., Texas A&M University Extension Service entomologist, said insect pressure remains light for the most part with good looking cotton in Hockley County this week. “If you go north of US 70, you see quite a bit of thrips injury, which is where we normally see higher thrips pressure. Usually, in the South Plains the threat from thrips to seedling cotton subsides substantially by mid-June.”

However, Vyavhare went on to say that due to the amount of “baby cotton” still present in the area and just emerging, his scouting window for thrips would be much wider this season than normal since we’ve had cooler weather and planting delays.

Heat Units 

PCG CEO Kody Bessent likened emerging cotton to a newborn baby, stating, “Baby cotton needs to incubate and get warmed up, and so far, it has not been warm enough.”

However, looking into next week, temperatures are projected to be in the 90s with low chances of rain in the forecast.

10-day forecast for Lubbock, Texas.

Given the deluge of rain the Panhandle experienced in May, some cotton acres will shift to other crops.

Severe flooding in Hereford, Deaf Smith County, Texas, over Memorial Day weekend.

“We probably had about 70% of our booked cottonseed planted,” said Steven Birkenfeld, gin manager for Top of Texas Gin in Deaf Smith County. “But 70% of that will be failed out.”

Leland Gabel, producer in Carson County, struggled to meet the May 31st planting deadline due to the excess moisture.

“I will never complain about the rain and I hope no one else does, either,” he added. “We needed this moisture bad and at least it gives us options to still grow a crop, even if it’s not cotton.”

Quentin Shieldknight, producer in Hansford County, filed for Prevent Plant insurance on all of his irrigated acres; lost 600 dryland acres to hail and flooding; and is struggling with root rot hitting some varieties he did get planted.

Hansford County received 10 to 12 inches of rain in May, according to Shieldknight. He plans to plant cover crops at the end of June on his prevent plant acres. Many producers in the area are planting milo and corn, he said.

South Texas Crop Prospects Cited as ‘Beautiful, fantastic’ 

Georgia Cotton Growers Riding High on 2022 Cotton Boom

Too Wet for Some Texas Farmers to Plant Cotton

Story in FarmPress on Ciera Huffstutler 

A valiant effort to secure $50 million for disaster relief for cotton infrastructure for the 2022 crop year was unfortunately not included in the final budget and supplemental adopted by the Texas Legislature, despite approving a $321.3 billion budget for the biennium as they adjourned Sine Die over the Memorial Day weekend. 

Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. is extremely appreciative of Sen. Charles Perry (District 28) and Rep. Cecil Bell (District 3), as well as South Texas Cotton & Grain Association and the Texas Cotton Ginners Association for the countless hours everyone spent advocating for this much-needed assistance to the cotton industry. Additionally, we would like to thank D. Williams & Co., Inc. as well as many other cotton industry affiliates for their assistance in this effort.

For context, Perry filed a proposed budget rider in the Senate on March 2, 2023 on behalf of the cotton industry that would have established a one-time agricultural disaster relief grant out of federal funds appropriated to the state from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The sole purpose of providing a block grant was to address necessary expenses related to losses of revenue by cotton infrastructure because of natural disasters — including drought during the 2022 crop year. At the behest of the industry, Bell filed an identical budget rider in the House. 

Negotiations ensued and the budget rider was then elevated for consideration among Senate and House Conference Committees for HB1/SB1 and the Supplemental Budget SB30 respectively. 

The rider ultimately was not included in the final legislative package, not for a lack of advocacy, but a lack of overall discretionary spending available in HB1/SB1 by the legislature and competition with repurposed funding available through ARPA within the Natural Resource category. 

For reference, Texas was awarded federal funding through ARPA to be expended or obligated in seven general categories related to COVID-19 assistance. The Natural Resource category was the most applicable category in the supplemental budget for this issue. However, as the supplemental budget was completed, all unexpended and unobligated balances remaining in this category were repurposed for providing supplemental assistance to food banks in response to COVID-19.

While we are disheartened with the current outcome and still acutely aware of the severe financial strain on the overall cotton industry coming out of the 2022 crop year, I remind readers of this not to despair. If you recall, it took almost three years, multiple attempts and countless hours of strategy and strong leadership to ultimately enact the seed-cotton policy producers have today.

This effort relating to infrastructure support is no different in that perspective. While unsuccessful on this attempt, we simply have to regroup, restrategize and refocus on a long-term solution that will help ensure the survival of the cotton industry in times of peril due to forces outside our control. 

This is an excerpt of the remarks given by U.S. Ambassador Pete Haas at the Cotton USA Seminar last month (May 2023). The full transcript can be read here. 

Through substantial cooperation and collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and immense support from the cotton industry, Bangladesh conducted a risk assessment and concluded that U.S. growers, as of May 16, can now ship cotton to Bangladesh without any market access barriers. 

For our American friends in the room, this is a major win that will unlock U.S. potential in this growing market.   

As I am sure you are all aware, Bangladesh is the second largest global importer of cotton.  It represents the seventh largest export market for U.S. cotton, exceeding $475 million in export value in 2022, and has one of the largest ready-made garment (RMG) export industries in the world. 

For our Bangladeshi friends here today, this is also a huge win.  

Previously, fumigation imposed a days-long delay in the delivery of U.S. cotton, with you, the Bangladeshi importers, picking up the tab, spending a million dollars annually.   

Bottom line: U.S. cotton is the best in the world.  It is high-quality and sustainable—and we have the data to prove it.   

And now it is much easier for you to procure.  

Working together with Bangladesh to solve this issue is a great example of how our two countries can collaborate to increase prosperity and remove trade barriers.   

Kerry Siders, is the Texas A&M University Extension Agent-IPM for Cochran, Hockley and Lamb Counties. He wrote this report for Cotton Grower’s Crop Scan report. 

As I write this, it is raining. Now don’t for a minute think that I am saying that our drought is over, but only that we have been heading in the right direction the last few weeks. In May here at my office in Levelland, we received 3.28” of precipitation. Really nothing to brag about for spring rains. However, many parts of this and surrounding counties have had upwards of 7” during May.

This weather during planting has caused some delays and poor stands. Looking at some of my variety trials on the last day of May, I would say that 50% of those will need to be replanted. The soil temperature has been good, but our nighttime temperatures have continued to hover in the mid to upper 50’s — too cool.

Cotton here on the Southern High Plains of Texas is mostly planted. There are dryland acres which still need to be planted as soon as it dries enough to get back in the field. This weather has thrown us a curve ball in the completion of planting, but I think producers will stick with cotton for as long as they can and then may divert acres to alternative crops such as grain sorghum or corn.

Cotton stand evaluations are our priority as we visit fields. Most of our cotton acres are on 40” rows, so we generally count the number of plants in 13’ of row (1/1000th of an acre). We would consider 26 plants (2 plants per foot) in that 13’ space to be 26,000 plants per acre. This would be a minimum good stand on irrigated cotton. Ideally, your stand would have closer to 40,000 plants per acre or closer to 3 plants per foot. Dryland acres can dip down into the 19,000 range or 1.5 plants per row foot.

Weed pressure has really increased with these rains. As soon as planting is over and stands are established or maybe even sooner, producers need to turn their attention to weed management. Post-emerge herbicides like Roundup, Liberty, XtendiMax, or Enlist will need to be used along with the addition of a residual herbicide.

Another issue that producers will need to revisit due to the recent rains is their fertilizer program, matched up with a new realistic yield goal. We often do this recalculation too late in June or July and are behind the growth curve to do much good and can cause delay in cotton plant maturity. Here very soon will be the time to react to these rains.

Thrips have been light up to this point. As this cotton has been slow to grow-off and many acres are just now emerging, thrips could rapidly develop and be devastating. Fields must be scouted! A good field scout can pay for itself.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service released its latest crop production report May 12, 2023. 

2022 Production

According to the report, an estimated 13.6 million acres were planted nationwide. Seven million of those acres were harvested, producing nearly 14 million bales. 

Texas planted 7.85 million acres, harvesting 2 million for an estimated production of 3 million bales. 

The Texas High Plains planted roughly 4.8 million acres and harvested 961,000 of those acres for a production estimate of 1.5 million bales. 

Carson County holds the title for most production in the 2022 crop year with 113,800 bales, while Hockley County came in fifth at 94,700 bales. 

A full report of PCG’s 42-county production numbers can be found here.

2023 Forecast

USDA’s initial projection for 2023/24 U.S. cotton production is 15.5 million bales, 7% (1 million bales) above the final 2022/23 estimate. The Prospective Plantings report estimates 2023/24 cotton planted area at 11.3 million acres, 2.5 million acres below the 2022/23 estimate. Market price, weather, production costs and potential program benefits will all play a key role in determining planted cotton acres this year, according to the USDA Cotton and Wool Outlook report released in May. USDA will update the plantings estimate at the end of June. 

Advisory Group Outlook

Mark Brown captured rain standing in a field in Crosby County. “It’s been months since I’ve seen something like that,” he said.

This morning (May 26, 2023) the Plains Cotton Advisory Group gathered to discuss crop conditions. Rather than focusing on the lack of rain, current weather conditions provided a new topic: planting when it’s wet.

While there are challenges associated with rain like difficulty in meeting planting deadlines, soil temperatures not quite warm enough and the increased potential for hail with weather events in this region, the overall consensus was summed up by South Texas Cotton and Grain Executive Director Jeff Nunley. “I will say, having moisture is way better than being dry.” 

When 65% of the High Plains and the state consists of dryland cotton acres, rain is a necessity for higher production levels. To make an average or above average crop, the group agreed a dryland crop has to be made. 

NASA expects to work more closely with farmers and other members of the agriculture community through a new program called Acres.

Established in March, Acres is a consortium of partners working across the U.S. agricultural spectrum to develop observatory-based data and tools to help increase food production, while protecting or restoring soil, water and other natural resources, says Alyssa Whitcraft, founding director and a professor in the department of geographical sciences at the University of Maryland. University staff provide administration and oversight for Acres.

Three of the consortium partners’ broad objectives for Acres include:

1. Supporting a deeper understanding of U.S. agricultural land use, productivity and sustainability.

2. Developing on-farm decision support tools for smart agronomy.

3. Strengthening environmental and human resilience to climate change and global hazards.

Rhonda Brooks
Farm Journal

WUSDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) says the deadline for producers to return 2022 ag census forms is Wednesday, May 31, either by mail or online at www.agcounts.usda.gov.

USDA NASS is reminding ag census recipients that if they produced and sold $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022, or normally would have produced and sold that much, they meet USDA’s definition of a farm.

However, landowners who lease land to producers, those solely involved in conservation programs, and even those who may not have farmed in 2022 are still required to respond. 

Producers who received the ag census but do not fit the definition of a farm, are no longer farming, never farmed, or have another update for NASS should write their status on the form and mail it back.

Ag census data are used by agribusinesses, educators, researchers, federal and local government, and many others when making decisions about farm programs, loans, insurance, rural development, disaster assistance, and more. Not responding means not being represented in these widely used data, and therefore risk being underserved. For assistance filling out the ag census, call 888-424-7828.

ERP Phase 2 Program Signup Deadline Extension and Filing Deadline for Eligibility Forms for Phases 1 and 2

Cotton Spin: A Reckoning for 2022 Cotton Crop…Almost

Researchers Tweak Cotton Genes to Improve Productivity 

The Bangladesh government has lifted its fumigation requirement on U.S. cotton imports, which has been in effect for nearly 50 years. 

This shift will remove a significant export barrier for U.S. cotton to Bangladesh, as well as saving Bangladeshi mills time and money as they look to the U.S. to fill their cotton fiber import needs. 

Bangladeshi mills have been paying over a million dollars annually to cover unnecessary fumigation costs imposed on cotton imported from the U.S.

U.S. exporters will continue to use APHIS-generated phytosanitary certificates, but under the new regulation, the certificate will have additional language confirming no live boll weevils are in U.S. baled cotton. APHIS will issue revised instructions for exporters.

Bangladesh’s Agricultural and Commerce Ministries’ decision to lift the fumigation requirements on U.S. cotton came after six Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture delegation members joined a CCI-sponsored U.S. cotton tour. 

The Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture delegation met with U.S. cotton industry representatives and visited cotton fields, gins and warehouses, and the USDA Agricultural Ginning Research Laboratory.

The tour included a review of the U.S. cotton industry’s successful Boll Weevil Eradication Program and its modern cotton harvesting and ginning techniques. 

Bangladesh currently ranks as the No. 2 global importer of cotton, according to the May 2023 USDA FAS global market analysis. 

Although there is domestic cotton produced in Bangladesh, it is 1% or less of total demand. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to roll out $3.7 billion in Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to crop and livestock producers who sustained losses due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar year 2022. USDA is sharing early information to allow producers time to gather documents in advance of program delivery. Through distribution of remaining funds, USDA is also concluding the 2021 ELRP program by sending payments in the amount of 20% of the initial ELRP payment to all existing recipients.

“U.S. agricultural producers nationwide endured crippling natural disaster events in 2022 including a megadrought, Hurricane Ian, epic flooding and catastrophic wildfires. To say these events were costly is an understatement,” Vilsack said. “Last year USDA streamlined the delivery of natural disaster assistance, speeding up the timing of payments and cutting the time spent on paperwork by 90% or one million hours relative to previous disaster programs. While we will use the same streamlined approaches, funding is limited and significantly less than the estimated losses. We are designing payment factors that ensure the fair, equitable and efficient delivery of program benefits to help as many producers as possible offset the significant financial impacts resulting from these ongoing and widespread natural disasters.”

Background

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) that provides about $3.7 billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters occurring in calendar year 2022.

Additionally, the Act specifically targets up to about $500 million to livestock producers for losses incurred due to drought or wildfire in calendar year 2022.

ERP 2022 for Crop Producers

USDA, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), intends to deploy the lessons learned from the development and implementation of ERP and ELRP for previous years’ losses to ensure expedited assistance for 2022 losses.

Based on positive feedback from producers, stakeholder groups and FSA county office staff, USDA intends to provide an ERP track for producers who had coverage through Risk Management Agency’s federal crop insurance or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Through a streamlined application process, USDA intends to be in a position to send pre-filled applications directly to eligible producers in early summer.

For producers who have not been able to avail themselves of risk management coverage or whose losses were not covered, USDA intends to offer a program track to access ERP assistance with assistance provided to producers who suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2022 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event.

Instead of implementing these program tracks as two separate phases on different timelines, FSA intends to make both tracks available to producers at the same time, noting that the first track will follow a streamlined process with less paperwork burden, based on existing, available risk management data. The second ERP track would require that producers provide FSA with certain information related to revenue.

U.S. cotton is projected to plant less acreage in 2023 but will see higher production than in 2022.

The 2022 cotton crop saw a record level of abandonment, with 13.76 million acres planted but only 7.31 million acres harvested, mainly due to dry conditions in Texas.

Currently, USDA projects 11.26 million acres planted with 8.71 million acres harvested. It will be important to keep an eye on acres abandoned as the year advances, with growing conditions in West Texas remaining dry. In the May WASDE, U.S. cotton production is projected at 15.50 million bales, a 7% increase from 2022. 

On the demand side, exports are expected to increase by 0.9 million bales to 13.5 million bales. With higher exports, cotton ending stocks are projected to decrease by 0.20 million bales to 3.30 million bales. 

The average farm price is projected to weaken to 78 cents per pound. 

William Maples, Ph.D.
Extension Economist
Mississippi State University

W.B. was a good farmer and friend. I enjoyed working with him at Plains Cotton Growers. Reading your article made me think of the first time W.B. came with me to Washington D.C. 

He had brand new luggage with him that required a key to open. 

As soon as we got to our rooms, he realized he couldn’t find the key and was locked out of his suitcase. We got it figured out without having to break into his luggage. The situation wasn’t funny to him until after the fact. 

After I read the article, I called him and we picked back up right where we left off many years ago. We spent a lot of time on the phone that afternoon, but as the article stated, we both have plenty of it. 

-Don Johnson, former PCG executive vice president (1965-1997)

Fourth graders from seven different elementary schools in Ochiltree County were excited to learn about cotton May 16, 2023, at the water festival put on by the North Plains Groundwater

PCG Director of Field Services Mark Brown discusses cotton bales with fourth graders in Perryton, Texas, at the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District water festival.

Conservation District.

The students were able to touch seed cotton, cotton lint and learn about the different products made from cotton. Some of their comments were pretty entertaining: 

“Cotton is in ice cream? That’s so cool.”

“I’ve washed lots of dollar bills on accident – there’s cotton in money?” 

“I guess you could say money does grow on trees!” 

“I busted a baseball once, all that fluff in there was cotton?” 

Director of Field Services Mark Brown emphasized the drought tolerance of cotton and the enhanced efficiency of cotton producers’ water usage over time. 

Inspiring passion in future generations for this way of life is a privilege we get to participate in as an organization. It takes hours of travel time and preparation, yet the enthusiasm for cotton is all worth it as we hope to produce more advocates for the cotton industry and production agriculture. 

Crop Insurance Explained: A Safety Net, Not An Income

Record-Low Planted Cotton Acres Expected in California

By Kara Bishop

W.B. Criswell, Lubbock County producer, served as PCG President from 1975 to 1977.

On a quiet neighborhood street in Idalou, Texas, sits a 92-year-old man looking for ways to pass the time. Time is funny that way. One minute you’re at the peak of your career, raising children, serving on multiple civic and industry boards. Vacationing. Taking pictures. Preserving memories, and then the next minute comes.

And the memories are all you have left.

The fireplace is decorated with those memories, the office is lined with plaques and certificates of accomplishments. The TV plays in the background to break through the deafening silence. And the old grandfather clock ticks on.

Tic..tic…tok. Tic…tic…tok.

To his neighbors, he’s a quiet, older gentleman, keeping to himself and suffering loss the past couple of years. They have no idea of the trailblazer that still resides in the heart of W.B. Criswell. Even today, the cotton industry feels his impact.

THE BEGINNING

On March 10, 1951, Criswell married fellow Idalou native, Jo Ellen Barnhart. They moved to Melbourne, Florida, shortly after — a member of the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, Criswell was stationed at Patrick Air Force Base.

Together, they spent four years raising two children, Rodney and Teresa, in an 8-foot by 23-foot trailer.

When W.B.’s service ended, the Criswells moved back to Idalou where they welcomed their third child, Gary, and began farming in 1956.

W.B. always knew farming would be his livelihood and was the third generation of his family to carry the torch.  While reading the paper one day, he came across an advertisement of a monthly meeting. The organization was in its early infancy — established just a few months before W.B. moved back home. The name? Plains Cotton Growers.

“I believed in the mission,” W.B. recalled. “I knew it was important for farmers to have a voice in policy, so I became a member that day.”

THE PIONEER

Even in the U.S. Air Force, W.B. was a forward thinker. He worked in the research department developing ways to enhance satellite technology for communication devices.

“The foundation of the technology on that right there came from our work in the military,” he added, pointing to the smartphone on the table.

The first “module builder” was developed on W.B.’s farm. From 1975 to 1976, Cotton Incorporated would use W.B.’s land and resources to develop a module builder — allowing for more efficient transport of cotton to the gins.

“All of the farmers were waiting on a certain amount of trailers to carry their crop to the gins,” he recalled. “We tried the ricker first, which was more of a storage container for the cotton until the next available trailer arrived for transport. The following year, we were able to build modules that could be transported by trucks. And that’s when we started making strides in efficient cotton transportation.”

W.B. spent the next three decades actively involved in PCG, assuming the president’s role in 1975. He was a member of the Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors and a delegate of the National Cotton Council. During his presidential tenure, he advocated for the cotton industry in Washington D.C., helping to develop the 1977 U.S. Farm Bill.

Every weekend for four months during the summer of 1976, W.B. flew into Washington where his Congressman, Rep. George H. Mahon (D-Texas), was waiting for him. There was much work to be done.

The 1973 Farm Bill terminated a $10 million annual authorization for cotton promotion and research facilitated by Cotton Inc. and reduced the commodity payment limit for producers from $55,000 (1970 Farm Bill) to $20,000.

W.B. Criswell’s best crop year was 1973. He made 1.5 bales per acre.

After months of advocacy and education, the agriculture industry was happy with the strength of the 1977 legislation.

In this legislation, Title XIV: National Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act was established, which designated the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lead federal agency for agricultural research, extension and teaching in the food and agricultural sciences.

It also established a target price program, in which the government would pay the difference to producers should the market price fall below the agreed-upon benchmark.

“I believe the 1977 Farm Bill was the foundation of all future legislation,” W.B. said. “It did a lot for producers when it was passed.

The two crop years after the 1977 Farm Bill went into effect were good years; therefore, the government didn’t have to worry about the parity price payments. However, 1979 went differently.

“When the government realized they were going to have to pay a pretty hefty price difference — I believe market prices were in the low 50s — they modified the ruling,” W.B. added.

This was one of the “straws that broke the camel’s back,” resulting in the 1979 “Tractorcade,” where thousands of farmers rallied on the National Mall. Tractors were everywhere. At 15 miles-per-hour, farmers covered maybe one hundred miles per day, often resting their equipment on the side of the highways leading to Washington. They traveled in convoy fashion, and according to the Smithsonian Institution Archives, “descended on the nation’s Capitol Feb. 5, 1979.”

“I knew of several who went,” W.B. recalled. “But from an organization standpoint, PCG decided that we would strive for change through policy. That was our whole mission.

Cotton Incorporated developed the module builder on W.B. Criswell’s farm in 1976.

“While those were some interesting times, I learned so much those few months on the Hill and the two years I was PCG President. I am a better person because of it and am proud of the work we accomplished.”

THE ENTREPRENEUR

W.B. wasn’t just a farmer. He was also a cowboy, home renovator and custom harvester.

He bought 10 Registered Black Angus heifers in 1956. “I knew that if I needed money in a pinch, or had a bad crop year, I could sell some cows to stay afloat,” he said.

At one point, W.B. and his business partner, Buddy Hettler, were working with 2,200 head.

They worked cattle all over West Texas and whether they were close to home or in the Plainview area, their wives would still bring them dinner. The men were always amazed that no matter how many miles away from home they were, the food was always hot.

W.B. bought two cotton strippers so he could add another stream of income to his bottom line. The crop seasons in different regions worked well for his side business. “We’d plant our cotton, then head to South Texas to harvest theirs,” he added.

In the middle of farming cotton, working cattle and serving on bank boards, PCG board, city boards and civic duties, W.B. headed to the bank to ask for a home construction loan. “I wanted to flip some houses in Ruidoso, New Mexico,” he recalled. “The bank didn’t like it — thought it was not worth the risk — but they worked with me anyway and it was a profitable venture.”

Originally, W.B. started with 160 acres in 1956, working his way up to just shy of 1,000 before retirement. He still remembers his best crop.

“It was 1973,” he said. “I made 1.5 bales per acre that year.”

Even with his responsibilities, one of W.B.’s favorite things about his livelihood was the ability to be with his children.

W.B. Criswell’s oldest son, Rodney, sits on the family tractor.

THE FAMILY MAN

“While you worked long hours farming, you could be present to watch your kids play sports or extracurriculars,” W.B. said. “I had to make the hours up, of course, but I always liked that farming allowed me to be present.”

He and Jo Ellen enjoyed 70 years of marriage together. They travelled to all 50 United States promoting cotton everywhere they went. His wife served as president of the Lubbock County Women’s Cotton Ancillary and was Chair of the Lubbock County Miss Cotton Contest in the 1970s. She had a knack for conservation — rarely threw anything away — was resourceful to the point of purchasing a TV with S&H green stamps and was renowned for her letter correspondence. Jo Ellen passed away April 15, 2021.

While the Criswell kids were busy with school and sports growing up, they also worked on the farm, and even after graduation, Rodney helped with the custom harvesting business, farmed for himself for several years, and sprayed fields for the boll weevil eradication program. He is now retired, driving a truck for Idalou Co-op Gin when they need him.

Teresa served as a Gaines County extension agent for many years, and is now retired from working as the state 4-H director in College Station.

Gary, a sales representative with Becknell Wholesale Company, developed a love for motorcycles, along with his father. They often rode together, and even this year, W.B. drove his convertible alongside Gary enjoying the hill country on the ride that he and 20 others from the Lubbock area go on every year.

On April 16, they parted ways in Junction, Texas. Gary headed back to the Corpus Christi area; and W.B. came back to Idalou with some merchandise that Gary had asked him to return to Bucknell.

W.B. was home for an hour before Rodney came through the door to tell him Gary had a fatal accident. “He told me he was going to take a route we never take; it has a lot of curves and winding road, and we lost him.”

Time seems even slower now, yet the clock’s rhythm never changes.

Tic…tic…tok. Tic…tic…tok.

The paths he forged for the cotton industry may be forgotten by most; however, the influence lives on as others take up the mantel to protect and promote the interests of High Plains cotton producers.

Outliving friends and family, he sits in the same silence he’s been in for two years waiting for time to pass. But, that’s OK. He knows Gary is keeping Jo Ellen company as they also wait on him.

World Agricultural Supply and Estimates Report – May 2023

Few Bright Spots in Weekly Export Numbers